NASCAR Boss Arrested For DUI and Narcotics Possession

Takes indefinite leave of absence

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France was arrested over the weekend for driving under the influence. The man who’s been heading the auto racing company failed a field sobriety test after he was caught running a stop sign in his Lexus. France had a blood-alcohol level that was more than twice the legal limit.

What’s more, he was also found in possession of a controlled substance, carrying Oxycodone pills, an opioid pain-relief medication classified as a Schedule II narcotic. The pills were found when the officer searched his vehicle. France was pulled over in Sag Harbor, New York and taken into custody for the night.

After his release the next morning, he announced that he will be taking an "indefinite leave of absence" from his role as CEO and chairman of NASCAR. His uncle Jim France has taken over as interim of the sanctioning body.

It appears this isn't the first time France was caught driving under the influence

It appears this isn’t the first time France was caught driving under the influence. In 2006, he was reported to have hit a car in a Daytona Beach parking lot. However, although a witness says he struggled to get out of his car due to being intoxicated, the police weren’t able to confront him until he had returned to his house. Needless to say, this isn’t the kind of behavior you’d expect to see from the CEO of a racing body that just banned an Xfinity Series driver for failing a drug test.

Brian took over as CEO and chairman in 2003. The stock car racing series was founded by his grandfather, Bill France, Sr. and previously ran by his father, Bill Jr. Brian led the company’s entertainment division and served as executive vice-president before taking control of the company.